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-The Washington Post
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Liberty Press
Volume 21, No. 3 • Editor: Kristi Parker • Contributors: Paul Berge, Dave Brousseau, Nolin Christensen, Greg Fox, Equality Kansas, Jordan Hawk, Charlene Lichtenstein, Mama, Dr. Robert N. Minor, Stephanie Mott, Pat Munz, Ben Rivers, Thomas Witt • Staff Reporters: Helen Barnes, Elle Boatman, Jeanne de Grasse, Brian Hansen, Ciara Reid • Contributing Photographers: Brian Hansen, Heiko Laschitzki • Cover Design: Troy Dilport; photo of Cameron Carpenter (c) Thomas Grube and Sony Classical • Graphic Designer: Troy Dilport • Distribution Manager/Ad Sales: Sandra Hawk • Webmaster: Ren Autrey • Publisher: Liberty Press, LLC • Printer: Valley Offset Printing National Advertising Representatives: Rivendell Media (212) 242-96863 Subscriptions are $18/year
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
On the Cover:
Organist Cameron Carpenter brings distinctive, exhilarating sound to Salina Page 24
Photo (c) Thomas Grube and Sony Classical
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CONTENTS
IN EVERY ISSUE
VOTER'S GUIDE provided by Equality Kansas.............................................. 8 NEW AGE CIRCUS ACT awes Orpheum audience...................................11 WSU LGBT STUDENT GROUP changes name, focus..................................12 WICHITA'S ALTERNATIVE GIFT MARKET offers a different shopping experience.................................................................................................13 SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN KANSAS ................................................................16 LAWRENCE BAND VIGIL AND THIEVES rocks and rolls with debut album, fall tour...........................................................................................18
POINTS OF INTEREST................ 10 MAMA KNOWS BEST.................. 14 DISTRIBUTION LIST................... 22 CLASSIFIEDS.............................. 27 OUT IN THE STARS.................... 27 AROUND KANSAS...................... 28 COMICS....................................... 29
Regulars OP/ED letters, editorial cartoon, guest editorial: Why Voting Matters........................................................................................... 6-7 THE KANSAS GAYHAWK Depression touches more people than you think....................................................................................................6 BOOKENDS I'll Give You the Sun...........................................................20 MINOR DETAILS Here Comes More of the Persecution Complex..........21 TRANS-FORMATIVE I Would Learn to Play Hopscotch...........................22 LEATHER LIFE Mentors vs. internet: the good, the bad and the ugly.....30 The Liberty Press distributes 3,500 copies a month in cities throughout Kansas, including Dodge City, Derby, Lawrence, Topeka, Wichita, Manhattan, Junction City, El Dorado, Hays, Kansas City, Pittsburg, Newton, Hutchinson and Salina.
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OP/ED
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
A Monthly Collection of Opinions and Editorials.
The opinions represented here do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Liberty Press. We reserve the right to edit and cut submissions for space and grammatical content. We want to hear from you! Visit www.libertypress.net to answer our Readers Poll. Send your letters and feedback to editor@libertypress.net.
It's time to go in a different direction Dear editor: I am a Republican. I am also the Treasurer for the Davis/Docking Campaign for Governor. Bob Dole asked me earlier this summer if I had switched parties, I told him I will never change political parties. But, I needed to stand up and take action because Gov. Sam Brownback had pushed through a tax plan that I believe is detrimental to Kansas. A responsible tax policy must meet two criteria to work; 1) it must be fair, and 2) it must raise the necessary revenue to support state services, such as schools. Gov. Brownback’s policy fails on both counts. While certain businesses and LLCs are now exempt from paying any state income tax, the employees who work for those businesses must still pay income tax on their wages. This is unfair and a true injustice. We are all citizens of Kansas and should share equally in the responsibility as well as the
benefits of being citizens. The failure of the Governor’s tax policy to fund the budget – including schools and roads – has been documented by Moody’s Investor Services, Standard and Poor’s and the State’s own legislative research council. The bottom line is we are spending more money than we are taking in. The Governor’s response to this crisis is to declare the “sun is shining in Kansas and don’t let anyone tell you different.” This is simply delusional. The sun is the same today as it was when my grandfather, Alf Landon, was Governor from 1933-36. The difference is that back then, the people of Kansas voted to implement a fair income tax that kept property taxes low and provided services that we Kansans want, such as good roads and good schools. If you want to see where Kansas is headed under Sam Brownback’s tax policy, simply look at Kansas in the 1920’s. Fewer State services, higher property taxes from local units of government and a widening gap between rural and urban Kansans. It’s time to go in a different direction. That’s why I support Paul Davis and Jill Docking for governor and lt. governor. William A. Kassebaum Burdick, KS
NOVEMBER 2014
The Kansas GayHawk: A Youth Perspective Depression touches more people than you think
A
t some point in a person’s life they will be looking down while standing on the edge of a metaphorical cliff staring down into an abyss of regret and unspeakable sadness that is their past. They remain motionless as the waves crash down against the rock, sending loud vibrations through their body. It is in this moment that everyone and everything seems so distant and catastrophically intangible. Overwhelmed with a gray sadness, they too crash down against the rock. The damage that ensues is not permanent, but it is severe, however, from here they are able to begin the process of climbing back to the top and walking away from the cliff forever. Whether we see it or not, people are in desperate need of help. You might think that asking for help is the easiest thing in the world, but it is harder than holding your breath. The biggest lie in the world is often a smile, but behind that smile is an emotionally congested human being who just needs to let it all out. They rarely do though. I feel that as a society, we often try to hide the imperfections. We hide the public and private faults of ourselves and others. No one talks. I mean really, sincerely talks. Maybe it’s because no one wants to make others uncomfortable or maybe it’s because people are afraid to be labeled unstable; whatever the reason it needs to change. Everyone’s emotions and thoughts are valid, so telling someone that they’re doing something for attention or because they’re bored is an insult to their humanity. No one knows exactly how someone else is feeling. Sure, there’s empathy, but until you have seen what they have seen through their eyes or experienced what they have experienced with their mind you have no way of fully
By Jordan Hawk understanding what they are going through. On a lighter note, once a person reaches that edge and after they’ve plunged down to the bottom, there is nowhere left to go but up. Once their secret is out and those who love them know where their heart has been living, they are finally able to get help; help that is greatly needed. The double life that they had been living is shattered and it feels as though a great weight has been lifted. Everything written above gives a brief glimpse at the life of a person living with depression. Whether it is being kept hidden or openly discussed, a person’s depression is an intimate and fragile thing and it should not be taunted or dismissed as something that will just go away with time. Depression requires immense counseling and occasionally prescription drugs. It is a universal ailment that touches more people than you would think. Someone you know could be struggling as you read this article. It is impossible to know the heart of every person you come across throughout the day so be kind, be a positive change in someone’s life. The things we give out in this world we will inevitably get returned to us. Save the judgment for your own actions and simply lend an understanding ear to someone willing to take the first step to recovery. l
NOVEMBER 2014
GUEST EDITORIAL Why Voting Matters By Pat Munz, Chair Wichita chapter of Equality Kansas uesday, Nov. 4, 2014 is Election Day. There are many important races that will impact how our nation and state address the many issues facing us. While the LGBT community has seen great strides in our struggle for justice and equality in recent years, the upcoming election is still critical to our continued march towards equality in Kansas. Without state leaders willing to listen and advance issues around the LGBT struggle to have equal rights, we will continue to face discrimination and treatment as second-class citizens. Every elected official has the ability to either advance our cause or put more road blocks in front of us. Our community has had a serious voice at the State Capitol for the last nine years fighting for LGBT rights. We have managed to stop bad legislation, such as the so called “religious freedom bills” that come up every year. These bills are stopped only because there are elected officials who understand what the implications of these bills are and are willing to stand up to that ideology. These brave elected officials stand stalwartly
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opposed to those who have enshrined discrimination into our Kansas constitution. It does not matter what polls say about who is ahead or behind in a race, the only thing that matters is the actual votes cast in an election. We all know that the people and institutions in society that want to continue to deny us the rights guaranteed to all Americans in our constitution do a good job of getting their people to the polls. This is why we continue to get our rights denied even if public opinion is in our favor. Public opinion does not make law and policy, elected officials do. Voting is a right granted to all citizens of this state and nation, subject to certain laws that have been enacted denying people convicted of certain crimes, etc. The right to vote is every eligible citizen’s responsibility to exercise. By making informed choices of who will best represent their personal as well as our common best interests is the true act of expressing that right of citizenship. It is not up to someone else to go and fight for our rights; it is our responsibility. We must do everything we can to further our cause for equality. The best and easiest action we each can individually enact is to VOTE on Election Day for the person(s) we believe will represent us in the halls of government. l
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Voter's Guide
E
provided by Equality Kansas
quality Kansas, when making endorsements, considers a number of factors. In order of importance:
1. Voting record as a public official 2. Membership in Equality Kansas, or a member of the LGBT population 3. Responses to policy questionnaires sent to all candidates 4. Public statements regarding LGBT equality issues For this election cycle, the test for incumbents was their position on HB2453, the 2014 “denial-of-service” bill. Incumbents who voted in favor of HB2453, regardless of previous voting records, were not considered eligible for endorsement. For newcomers, the questionnaire
responses are key, also voting records in prior offices held. While public statements made by candidates are considered, private assurances of support are not. Please note that endorsements aren't made in uncontested races, or in races where there is a lack of information on candidates or where no candidate will represent LGBT interests. KS Governor/Lieutenant Governor: Paul Davis/Jill Docking (D, Lawrence/ Wichita) U.S. Senate: Greg Orman (I, Olathe) U.S. Congress 1st Dist.: James E. Sherow (D, Manhattan) U.S. Congress 3rd Dist.: Kelly Kultala (D, Kansas City) KS Secretary of State: Jean Kurtis Schodorf (D, Wichita) Insurance Commissioner: Dennis Anderson (D, Overland Park)
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Kansas House District: 3: Julie Menghini (D, Pittsburg) 10: John Wilson (D, Lawrence) 16: Don McGuire (D, Overland Park) 17: Larry Meeker (D, Lake Quivira) 18: Cindy Neighbor (D, Shawnee) 19: Stephanie Clayton (R, Overland Park) 20: Elizabeth Arnold (D, Leawood) 21: Barbara Bollier (R, Mission Hills) 22: Nancy Lusk (D, Overland Park) 23: Amber Versola (D, Lenexa) 25: Melissa Rooker (R, Fairway) 26: Cheron Tiffany (D, Olathe) 29: James Eric Todd (R, Overland Park) 30: Liz Dickinson (D, Lenexa) 33: Tom Burroughs (D, Kansas City)
NOVEMBER 2014
36: Kathy Wolfe Moore (D, Kansas City) 38: Jan Pringle (D, Gardner) 39: Vicki Hiatt (D, Shawnee) 43: Caitlin Trujillo (D, Gardner) 46: Dennis “Boog” Highberger (D, Lawrence) 52: Ty Dragoo (D, Topeka) 53: Annie Tietze (D, Topeka) 54: Ann E. Mah (D, Topeka) 55: Annie Kuether (D, Topeka) 56: Virgil Weigel (D, Topeka) 58: Harold Lane (D, Topeka) 59: Blaine Finch (R, Ottawa) 69: Gary Swartzendruber* (D, Salina) 73: Von Peterson (D, Canton) 76: Teresa Briggs (D, Reading) 78: Jim Poe (D, Olathe) 79: Ed Trimmer (D, Winfield) 81: Lynn Wells (D, Derby) 82: Danette Harris (D, Mulvane) 83: Carolyn Bridges (D, Wichita) 84: Gail Finney (D, Wichita) 85: Patrick Thorpe (D, Wichita) 86: Jim Ward (D, Wichita) 87: Charles Jenney (D, Wichita) 88: Patricia M. Sloop (D, Wichita) 89: Roderick A. Houston (D, Wichita) 92: John Carmichael (D, Wichita) 93: Sammy K. Flaharty (D, Garden Plain) 95: Tom Sawyer (D, Wichita) 96: Brandon Whipple (D, Wichita) 100: John Wallace Willoughby (D, Wichita) 102: Brian E. Davis (D, Hutchinson) 105: Sherry Livingston (D, Wichita) 112: Steve Muehleisen (D, Great Bend) 119: John E. Thomas (D, Dodge City) * This is a qualified endorsement. Swartzendruber signed the 2012 petition calling for the repeal of the Salina human rights ordinance inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity. He has since publicly apologized for that signature, and scored 100% on the 2014 policy questionnaire. His opponent voted in favor of HB2453. Also available at: www.kansasequality coalition.org. Remember, voters are allowed to take guides such as this into the voting booth. l
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Trust Women brings comedienne and writer Lizz Winstead to Wichita WICHITA - Trust Women’s 3rd Annual Gala featuring a performance by political satirist Lizz Winstead will be held Thursday, Nov. 13 from 6-9pm at the Crown Uptown, 3207 E. Douglas. As co-creator and former head writer of The Daily Show and Air America Radio cofounder, Winstead has helped changed the very landscape of how people get their news. But she wasn’t just behind the scenes. As a performer, Winstead brought her political wit to The Daily Show as a correspondent and later to the radio waves co-hosting Unfiltered, Air America Radio’s mid-morning show, where she brought on board hip-hop legend, Chuck D and politico Rachel Maddow. Tickets for the Gala including cocktails, dinner and the comedy show are $75. Show only tickets are available for $40. For more information, call 316.425.3215 or visit www.itrustwomen.org.
Deli Day: a taste of New York without the airfare
Known as as one of the top political satirists in America, Lizz Winstead is currently touring the country, bringing her razor sharp insights to the stage selling out shows from LA to NYC. She will be in Wichita on Nov. 13 as the featured performer for Trust Women's 3rd Annual Gala. Winstead has spearheaded Lady Parts Justice, a reproductive rights group fighting to return all 50 state legislatures to a prochoice majority.
WICHITA - Congregation Emanu-El’s annual celebration of Jewish cuisine is back! The fundraiser offers delicious Jewish deli-style meals and plenty of take-out choices. Meal choices are a brisket dinner or corned beef sandwich meal with latkes, strudel, a drink and more for just $15. Or visit the Jewish bakery for all sorts of take-home treats - challah, blintzes, hamantashen, macaroons - that you can’t find anywhere else. The event is open between 11am-6pm, Nov. 9, at Congregation Emanu-El, 7011 E. Central. l
NOVEMBER 2014
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
New age circus act awes Orpheum audience
REVIEW By Brian Hansen W I C H I TA - C o m b i n i n g traditional European-style circus with the new-age sound of electronic dance music (EDM), Circus Electronica: Singularity blazed the Orpheum Theatre’s stage on Oct. 11. Circus Electronica: Singularity, considered the only show of its kind, takes the audience on a journey exploring the relationship between computer-dependent humans and the machines on which they rely. “The focus is on Oni, a girl who wakes to consciousness and realizes she has been transported to a world inside the Machine,” says a press release from MuseBoy. Throughout the 80-minute show, the audience is presented with a variety of breathtaking circus acts and classical dance. The performers exhibit extreme
precision and talent with stunts ranging from bold acrobatics to ring twirling — that is, ring twirling while spinning on his head. “The circus acts were incredible,” says audience member, Jennifer Bewsher. “The combination of the circus with EDM made the show very unique. I have never seen anything like it.” EDM has jammed its way into the mainstream, pop music scene over the last several years. In this new age of music, fame of music icons has moved beyond the vocal musicians and onto the turntables of the world’s greatest disc jockeys and music producers. The score was composed by Brooklyn artist, Ben Talmi. The EDM artists successfully told an audible drama parallel to a visual narration. Talmi was performing onstage throughout the entire performance with occasional guitar solos. This
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incredible artist kept the story (and the audience) moving. The act was a visual duet with a musical masterpiece. Being the first show of its kind, the Circus Electronica cast set the standards high for the future of EDM entertainment. l
Photos by Brian Hansen
School of Performing Arts/Dance presents
a dance theatre production featuring
feast!
Charlotte Boye-Christensen’s performed by
NOW-ID and the
Wichita contemporary dance theatre
photo courtesy of David Newkirk
Friday & Saturday 7:30pm November 21-22 miller concert hall
physical
Athletic
sensual
dynamic
theatrical
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NOVEMBER 2014
WSU LGBT student group changes name, focus
By Elle Boatman WICHITA - Wichita State University’s That Gay Group! (TGG) is a thing of the past. But it hasn’t gone away - just changed its name. Beginning this semester, WSU’s LGBT
student group has adopted the new moniker, Spectrum: LGBTQ and Allies. There wasn’t an active LGBT student group oncampus in 2000 when a student approached Mike Madecky, who was then the Rhatigan Student Center (RSC) Activities Director, asking where to go to meet people. He responded, in part, by inviting people to a meeting. In discussing a name for
the newly forming group, the founders - Mike Madecky, Patrick Hutchison, and Christopher Kelley - figured they’d be referred to as “that gay group” no matter what the actual name was so they decided to own it by actually naming it That Gay Group! So why the name change? “People didn’t love the name. They didn’t identify with the name. [They] didn’t feel like it represented their identities,” said Dr. Jennifer Pearson, the group’s faculty advisor since 2009. The group’s officers and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion received feedback that echoed this sentiment. Some students felt unwelcome, stating the old name felt exclusive of their identities while others raised concerns about getting involved because they didn’t want to list That Gay Group! on resumes. Ally presence also was lacking with allies coming to the meetings only in direct support of an LGBT friend.
Sarah Jack, Spectrum’s student co-president, elaborated further, “One of our major goals in changing the name and redoing our brand was to make the group more approachable to a wider variety of individuals,” she said. “The name ‘That Gay Group’ worked when the organization was established over a decade ago, but in the intervening time it slowly became less relevant to our mission.” Over the summer months, executive members of the group brainstormed a list of possible names before narrowing the list to four options: Spectrum: LGBTQ and Allies and Shockers for Equality were both frontrunners; WSU GSA was also considered for its potential tie-in with GLSEN’s nationwide Gay-Straight Alliance network. With the new name and logo comes renewed focus. Beyond the obvious nod to the rainbow colors that have become synonymous with the LGBT equality movement, hopes are high that the rebranding continued on page 26
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Wichita’s Alternative Gift Market offers a different shopping experience
By Jeanne de Grasse
WICHITA - Wichita Alternative G i f t M a r k e t ( WA G M ) i s celebrating its 20th anniversary this year with a special opening ceremony. WAGM showcases charities and projects that lets shoppers “do good” and feel good with their holiday giftgiving. “ A c t L o c a l l y, I m p a c t Globally” is the theme for the hundreds of such market events held all around the country in affiliation with Alternative Gifts International (AGI) in support of its annual catalogue of 30 national and international charitable projects and programs. As well as impacting globally, shoppers at WAGM also have the opportunity to impact locally by supporting four local organizations: Head to Toe Hygiene Pantry, Fairmount GoZones!, Urban Younglife, and Dear Neighbor Ministries. The market is Saturday, Nov. 8 from 10am-4pm at Grace Presbyterian, 5002 E. Douglas, with the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Native American blessing by Elder Mark Brown happening at 10:30am. When asked why people choose alternative gifts, Julie Anne Baker Brin, who has been involved with WAGM for over five years, said that “shoppers feel that this is a truer expression of the holiday spirit for them; that it’s so uplifting to be able to give a gift that makes a real difference in someone’s life.” Describing what shoppers can expect to find, see, and learn, as well as buy at the Market, Brin said, “It’s a bustle of activity! 100s of volunteers, 30 different national and international projects displayed on tables
and at booths, local vendors and projects, there are even items to purchase on the spot and take home like jewelry, textiles, and fair trade foods like tea, coffee, and chocolate – there’s something for everyone.” How does buying an alternative gift work? Shoppers donate whatever amount they wish and give their giftee the project gift card that describes how the money will be used. In addition, WAGM volunteers have made ornaments to take along as a lasting memento of the donation. “Each project has an ornament unique to that group, so shoppers can collect a variety for themselves or their loved ones,” Brin said. In addition to holiday gift giving, AGI has a page on its website (www.altgifts.org), for registering special events, such as weddings, birthdays, or memorials. l
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b{ Be an
Angel
Support the Homeless Overflow Shelter Fundraiser NOVEMBER 22ND
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6:30 PM • CHILI DINNER IS SERVED 7 PM • BINGO BEGINS WITH MC “DIVINITY MASTERS”
10 Bingo games & Dinner for $20 $5 donation suggested for those not playing
GRAND PRIZE IS A FLAT SCREEN TV
HOSTED BY FMCC FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE CHURCH OFFICE
November 23rd • 10:15 am is Our Thanksgiving Worship Service with Potluck Dinner Following Bring your favorite dish to share and Join Us!
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________________________________________ Come Worship with Us... ALL are Welcome!
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GOD LOVES YOU.
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NOVEMBER 2014
dinner table. It will be hell - only with turkey! Mama, are you going to get the new iPhone 6? Not signed
M Guess
ama, are you worried about getting the Ebola virus? Doctor
I think everyone should be concerned about it. I really think that the leaders of this free world need to get off their fat butts and help stop it in the place where it started. Yes that means helping that country. If not, we all could pay for it with our lives. Come on people use your brains not your iPhones! Good Lord! Ms. Harper, are you ready for another family Thanksgiving get-together? A concerned friend I am looking forward to Thanksgiving with the family like I am looking forward to another Republican for President. NOT! Someone help me. Eunice, Ellen, Vinton, and Naomi are all fighting at the
(Laughing loudly) Wake up and smell the fresh air. I do not have a cell phone nor do I want one. I will use my own eye to look out my windows to know what is going on! I need a beer now! Mama, I have recently been gaining more weight than I would like. With my schedule it is hard to have a routine (exercise of any kind) and I have been trying to watch what I eat. Do you have any suggestions? Concerned Chubby You’re asking me about being overweight? Ha! Look at me honey I am in my 60s and am not concerned about it at all. I am too old to give a damn. If you’re serious then find a routine and stick to it, otherwise hand me another cheesecake please!! Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Once again, thank you for all your questions! l
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NOVEMBER 2014
Same-Sex marriage in Kansas
By Thomas Witt, Executive Director Equality Kansas
A
s of press time, the marriage issue in Kansas remains unsettled. Here’s what’s happened so far: On Monday, Oct. 6, U.S. Supreme Court issued an order allowing to stand, without comment, the appeals coming from the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Kansas, Utah, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming. At the same time, they also let stand appeals from the 4th and 7th Circuits, which involved unconstitutional bans in Indiana, Wisconsin, and Virginia. The stays written into the 10th Circuit appellate rulings were automatically lifted, and states involved in the Oct. 6 Supreme Court orders began issuing marriage licenses. Even though Kansas did not have a case before a federal court at the time of the 10th Circuit ruling and the subsequent Supreme Court action, the fact
that Kansas is part of the 10th Circuit means their rulings on similar cases in other states apply. The Utah ban, in fact, is very similar to the Kansas ban. The 10th Circuit was clear: “similar statutory enactments do not withstand constitutional scrutiny.” That Monday, Equality Kansas members began going to local county courthouses across the state, applying for marriage licenses. The results were mixed. Confusion reigned. Court clerks and county judges were unsure of what to do. Some allowed couples to complete their marriage license applications, pending the three-day waiting period. Others were quickly turned away without being allowed to complete an application. In many cases, applications were accepted, but then denied within hours. In an attempt to get some control over the situation, on Tuesday, Oct. 7, the Kansas Office of Judicial Administration
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issued a guidance letter to the county courts around the state: Accept marriage license applications, but don’t issue the actual marriage license at the end of the three-day waiting period. Some counties followed that guidance, some didn’t. On Wednesday, Oct. 8, Johnson County Chief Judge Kevin Moriarty issues an order to the Johnson County judges and court clerks to accept all valid applications, and issue licenses to same-sex couples. The only couple to successfully apply in Johnson County for a marriage license the previous day could come back at the end of the three days on Friday, Oct. 10, pick up their license and legally marry. That Thursday, nearly 60 more same-sex couples applied for marriage licenses in Johnson County. No other judges took the same step as Judge Moriarty. When the Johnson County Courthouse opened Friday morning, Oct. 10, the first same-sex couple to be granted a marriage license, along with their children, two close friends and their pastor, were married (no other applications were accepted in Johnson County on Tuesday, so the earliest any other weddings could take place would be the following Tuesday, Oct. 14). By 11am, the Kansas Attorney General filed an emergency action with the Kansas Supreme Court demanding that no more applications be accepted and no more marriage licenses be issued.
Late Friday afternoon, the Kansas Supreme Court issued an order stopping the issuance of marriage licenses. However, they also ordered district courts to continue to accept applications. They have set a hearing for Thursday, Nov. 6, where they have demanded that Attorney General Derek Schmidt explain why he believes the Kansas ban should be left in place given the 10th Circuit rulings in the Utah and Oklahoma cases. Also late on Friday, the ACLU of Kansas filed a lawsuit in Federal district court directly challenging the Kansas marriage ban. A hearing has been set for Friday, Oct. 24, at 10am before Federal district judge Daniel D. Crabtree. As of this writing, there are questions whether the hearing will happen, and if so, whether it will be in Topeka or in Kansas City, Kansas. The speed with which the case was assigned and scheduled has made the hearing time and date, all up in the air as other cases were already on the docket. If the ACLU is unsuccessful in Federal court in the short term, that could leave it to the Kansas Supreme Court, at the hearing Nov. 6, to find the Kansas ban unconstitutional. In the meantime, couples may continue to apply for marriage licenses, but will not be given a license at the end of the waiting period. The applications are good for six months and it is expected that this will be resolved well before then. l
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Lawrence band Vigil and Thieves rocks and rolls with debut album, fall tour on an extensive national tour. Self-described as “a group of vagabonds who ignore the rules of real life and instead create sounds and poetry that will make you want to dance,” Vigil and Thieves is Sarah Storm (vocals, guitar, and keys), Steph Castor (guitar) – formerly of the band Grenadina, and Andrew Flaherty (drums). While in Illinois for a show, Sarah Storm took some time to chat with Liberty Press about all things Vigil and Thieves:
Left to right: Sarah Storm, Andrew Flaherty, and Steph Castor.
By Ciara Reid, staff reporter LAWRENCE - Lawrence-based band Vigil and Thieves may have just released their debut
album, defective [book one] in early September, but they give off a vibe of seasoned musicians ready to flex their road muscles
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Liberty Press: Tell readers a little bit about your new band, Vigil and Thieves. Sarah Storm: Our band, Vigil and Thieves was originally Andrew Flaherty and I. The two of us have been playing music together for four years starting in Lawrence and roaming around Phoenix and the San Diego area for a while as a duo. We came back to Lawrence where Steph Castor joined us on lead guitar. Which was really the missing link and turned our sound into a much fuller, more melodic kind of rock and roll that we had been always kinda wanting. We are all about telling stories through lyrical poetry in the hopes that others could relate to our songs and gain something positive through listening, singing along, or maybe even dancing a little bit.
melody thought out. Andrew and Steph must have a gift for reading minds because as soon as we start putting drums and second guitars together as a group it usually comes together flawlessly. We are super lucky to have such great chemistry and be so like-minded because when we all come together working on a song we capture the mood and the emotions in the lyrics with matching tones and melodies. [defective] book one is the first half of a full-length album that we wrote as the result of feeling kinda displaced. I was kicked out of my parents’ home during my senior year of high school, which made me feel like there was something wrong with me. A lot of the songs are a little bit tragic but they aren’t supposed to be sad songs. I am an optimist and we all wanted to keep the message of our music hopeful. I may write about feeling homeless or maybe even a little bit crazy, but as cliché as it may sound I think everything happens for a reason and we are all in control of what we do with our experiences and looking forward is always better than looking back.
LP: Speaking of the recording process, you produced the record. What was that process like? SS: The recording process was extremely stressful. I went to LP: Your debut album was just school for recording and interned released. What was the writing/ at an amazing studio in Phoenix recording process like? called Tallcat. We managed to SS: I write all the lyrics and continued on page 28 my guitar parts usually with a
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By Ben Rivers I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson (Dial, $17.99)
I
’m constantly on the hunt for good Yo u n g A d u l t (YA) books, be they fiction or memoir. I find that YA authors take more risks, plus they tend to be fast reads (the last few Harry Potter novels not included). Also, it is encouraging to see YA authors beginning to embrace viewpoints different from the white male heteronormative. I’ll Give You the Sun is Jandy Nelson’s second novel and a brilliant addition to the YA genre. One word of caution before I go on, this book is for older teens and contains sexual material. That being said, this is the new fiction I want to see young people reading. Nelson is a master wordsmith. I’ll Give You the Sun is told from the viewpoint of Jude and her twin brother Noah. The story
starts in Noah’s voice with the phrasing and word choice of a 14-year-old boy, but crafted with enough care that it doesn’t feel fake or cliche. Noah is grappling with his homosexuality, while trying to express his inner artistic voice. The story shifts to Jude’s voice, and while Nelson tells us with the title of the chapters that the characters are shifting I wonder if she even needs to do so. The phrasing and word choice are so different between the twins that I had no trouble understanding who was speaking. Nelson also shifts in time around a tragic incident that destroys the relationship between the twins. Any person with a relationship that has weathered a tragedy, or succumbed to the aftermath, can relate to this tale. The connections between siblings is a strength of I’ll Give You the Sun. I am so ready to recommend this book to students, friends, and you, of course. Seriously, go buy it . . . why are you still reading?! Get this book! l
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Minor
Details By Bob Minor
Here Comes More of the Persecution Complex “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the church,” wrote second century Christian theologian Tertullian. And during his June 30 mass this year, Pope Francis agreed: “The Church grows thanks to the blood of the martyrs. This is the beauty of martyrdom.” There’s a sense, then, in which Christianities have historically wavered between a persecution complex and the desire to dominate over and control the world’s morality. Christian denominations have had as their goal, after all, the conversion of everyone to their own position as if the old saying is: “The more the truer.” And they’re not alone. Modern defenders notwithstanding, Buddhist religions have flourished most when they were embraced by governments as have multiple Islams. Confucian ethics became culturally Chinese when the Han dynasty enforced it as a political philosophy, and Shinto has always been tied to the status of the Japanese emperor. Even Hindu sects became strongest when the kings of India endowed their temples and deities. While in the modern period most traditions have justified nationalisms that combine religious identities and politics. The sense of being persecuted has been a rallying cry provoking the faithful to protect their brand and even take up arms. Pacifists in these traditions may claim that they have the truer view of each faith, but history shows that often a sense of one’s religion being persecuted has led to violent defensive measures by the fearful. That defense spawns efforts to get governments on the side of faith for both self-protection
and to enforce a sense that right is confirmed by might. We have certainly seen this in the rise of the Christian right-wing in late 20th-century U.S. politics. The need to believe that the U.S. is a Christian nation and also to make it so in the last 50 years has been a major element of right-wing religion. Yet the ever-increasing evidence that in spite of their financial and emotional investments, culture is moving further and further away from their sectarian vision of a Christian society, especially among younger generations. It makes people who say “God is in charge” but down deep fear that’s not true, slide back into that persecution complex. The pushers/dealers of addictive religion know that the fear of literal or figurative martyrdom can energize their devotees to action. Hence, the message of the day is: “We are the truly persecuted; we must therefore take the position of martyrs and fight our way out.” No more is this true than in the response to the issue of marriage equality. State by state, the barriers to it have fallen and the end of every state ban looks inevitable. They now accuse both conservative and liberal judges of being activists who are discriminating against the sectarian right-wing. ”Activist judges” as a label, after all, refers to those who decide against the right-wing. Politicians must, therefore, figure out how to play to this right-wing religious base in the midst of the inevitable movement of history. They must show that they are willing to stand by the gate as the liberal hordes burst through to prove to the rightwing that as politicians they are moral, Christian people – though
they know that this tactic will only be useful symbolically for a few more election cycles. The strategy of right-wing tacticians has changed in turn. It’s now to use the courts and state legislatures to defend themselves from what they call anti-religious discrimination. We’ve already seen this in state legal attempts to “protect” businesses from having to serve LGBT people based on sectarian religious beliefs. Think of martyr Melissa Klein, the Oregon baker who shut down her bakery rather than serve gay and lesbian couples and incur a fine for discrimination, framing her martyrdom as the government destroying her career and forcing her to close her business because she stood up for her faith. The famous Hobby Lobby case has set a precedent for more of the same in spite of any Supreme Court attempts to portray it otherwise. State legislatures will be seeking more exemptions to allow some groups, companies, and people with religious objections to refuse benefits or service for gay spouses, hoping to find themselves before judges with ideologies like those behind the Hobby Lobby decision. The pattern to be followed, Michelangelo Signorile reported from this fall’s Values Voter Summit, will be similar to right-wing attacks on Roe v. Wade. They’ll have to seek “incremental” wins, Frank Schubert, the mastermind behind the Proposition 8 campaign in California and other marriage ban campaigns across the country, told Signorile, just as they’re doing to chip
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away slowly at abortion rights, which of course has been very successful. They’ll have to find the gay “version” of “partial birth abortion,” Schubert said. All of this, then, has the potential of fueling lucrative new fundraising for religious right-wing leaders. No longer will they be able to raise money with the threat of the legality of everyone getting married to whomever they love. And the avalanche of victories for marriage equality will be proof to those desperate for such religious and political leadership that they are losing in the battle of the last decades to try to take over the nation. The fight will be more desperate, for the message is that the left is coming to take their very souls. The fight will now continue on this front and will include lies told by the right-wing in the name of righteousness. Expect many fabricated stories of discrimination like those we’ve seen before. Expect those who get needed attention as martyrs to exaggerate, embellish, and create a constant supply of horrors. This is when we’ll have to be clear about how what they’ll be doing is a re-definition of the separation of church and state, a re-definition of persecution, and a re-definition of freedom. We’ll have to call “sectarian” what they’re doing, not “Christian.” And we’ll have to be prepared in turn for some very nasty attacks in the name of religion. l Robert N. Minor, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at the University of Kansas, is author of When Religion Is an Addiction; Scared Straight; and Gay & Healthy in a Sick Society. Contact him at www. FairnessProject.org.
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I Would Learn to Play Hopscotch
P
eople sometimes ask me if I could go back and change one thing about my life, what would it be? I tell them, I would learn to play hopscotch. I think they might be looking for something more significant or something seemingly more philosophical, but I also think that learning to play hopscotch is the only answer for me. It is the one thing I might change, if I could. One time, while presenting on being transgender, an audience member asked me - not in an inappropriate way, but out of curiosity as to how I would respond - if the technology existed to diagnose transgender in the womb, would it be ethical
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to intervene? The answer to that question is contained in the fact that the question itself is based on the idea that there is something wrong with gender nonconformity. So then, of course, the answer is no, why would you? Pretty much the first halfcentury of my life took place in an arena in which I believed there was something wrong with me. In the last several years, that delusion has been shattered and replaced with the knowledge that being transgender is actually kind of awesome to me. I wouldn’t change a thing. Philosophically speaking, whatever changes I might make - given the opportunity to go back and make them - would have likely changed the path of KU’s Multicultural Resource Center, La Prima Tazza, Lawrence Public Library, Lutheran Campus Ministry, Milton’s Cafe, The Mirth Café, Natural Grocers, NetworQ, Pizza Shuttle, Queers & Allies office, The Raven Bookstore, Rudy’s Pizzeria, South Wind Health Collective, The Vapor's Edge E-Cig Shop, Wheat State Pizza, Wheatfield’s Bakery, Wilde’s Chateau 24, Yello Sub, Z’s Divine Espresso
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my life to a point where I would not be the same person as I am today. I don’t think I want to do that. So why hopscotch? It is something I would not have dared to do in my childhood, as it would have been seen as “girly.” The kind of thing that would have further encouraged some of my co-children to do things like beat me up, trip me on the way down a flight of stairs, or other such activities. I needed to be seen as a girl, but didn’t dare to be seen as a girl. I pretended to be a boy, and simultaneously tried to learn how to be a boy. Hopscotch was definitely off limits for me. Perhaps it is about having the courage to be myself at the time, even if only a little. Maybe learning to play hopscotch would have created enough space for my girl to breathe. Like a wellkept secret where I would have known what she was doing, that she was there, but no one else would know. It is a reflection on maybe having a little more courage, but not truly making any changes, because they would have surely altered my path, the path that has led to where I am today. Its meaning is far more figurative than literal. Disguising my true nature Pittsburg
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NOVEMBER 2014
was a survival mechanism for me. Real and imagined consequences contained in the pushing of envelopes. Yet, more than that. It was also about not tasting the honey (so to speak) because once tasted, it can never be untasted. The longing for authenticity teased by pseudoauthenticity of having touched the sky, but never to be satisfied until you have learned to fly. Flying was not possible for the little girl pretending to be a boy in the 1960s. Stretching toward the sky would have had the inevitable result of seeing my wings clipped. Most definitely leading down a different path to a place where I would have surely died. In spirit if not also in body. But I have learned to fly. I live in the sky. Surrounded by light and love. Why would I do anything to put that at risk? No, if I could go back and change one thing about my life, I would choose not to. Then again, maybe, I would learn to play hopscotch. l Stephanie Mott is a transgender woman from Topeka. She is the executive director of the Kansas Statewide Transgender Education Project, and a commissioner on the City of Topeka Human Relations Commission. Reach her at stephanieequality@yahoo.com.
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Organist Cameron Carpenter brings distinctive, exhilarating sound to Salina playing the organ at age four, and culminated his studies at the Julliard School in New York City. In 2008, he became the first organist ever nominated for a GRAMMY® Award for a solo album. Described as a “modern day throwback to the flamboyant virtuosos of the 19th century” by NPR, Carpenter will play in Salina on Nov. 8. Liberty Press was able to catch Carpenter while on tour to answer a few questions.
Liberty Press: What other artists and music inspires you? Cameron Carpenter: As in Photo by Heiko Laschitzki any repertoire choice I make, the essence is in the work, not in a By Ciara Reid, staff reporter consideration of the composer as an idea. For example, my SALINA - EVERY ONCE IN A latest album If You Could Read WHILE A MUSICIAN WILL My Mind includes my own come along and completely arrangement of the titular song flip the script in terms of by Gordon Lightfoot. Something how they use their respective about that song grabbed me, instrument – Cameron Carpenter exactly as when whole swathes is one of those artists. Born of Mozart or Medtner can go in northwestern Pennsylvania by without my really noticing, in 1981, Carpenter began then one particular work will
be magic. I’d greatly like to have the chance to do more interdisciplinary work, for instance in the sort of collaboration I did with the great director Peter Sellars and the Metropolitan Opera star baritone Eric Owens last year. That was Shostakovich, though; with a few exceptions, I haven’t had a great affection for “new music,” and I think there are other organists whose work in it is more fruitful. My own compositions generally speak a pre-1914 language. LP: You’ll be playing a show in late October in Kansas City and in Salina on Nov. 8. What can audiences expect to see when they attend your show? CC: The Kansas City and Salina dates are part of my first U.S. tour with the International Touring Organ. While the specific program is likely to vary between dates, I will certainly be performing selected tracks from If You Could Read My Mind, which includes my own transcriptions of works by Bach, Leonard Bernstein and Alexander Scriabin, as well as arrangements of works not traditionally associated with the organ by Gordon Lightfoot, Burt Bacharach, and Leonard Cohen. LP: Liberty Press is an LGBT magazine in the state of Kansas. How much, if at all, has your sexuality played into how you approach music? CC: In literal terms, there is
If you go Cameron Carpenter Stiefel Theatre 151 S. Santa Fe, Salina Saturday, Nov. 8 at 8pm Tickets range from $25-$42 Special $10 student tickets available
no relationship; that is, no tangible link exists between the musical decisions I make and my sexuality. But there are sympathies that I’ve become aware of over time and that have been useful. I t ’s b e e n u s e f u l t o b e able to understand, even if experientially in only a very minor way, something of what it means to be an outsider, as we are in the LGBTQ quearea code. The organist is almost always a musical outsider: stuck in the church but not part of it, rarely a musical collaborator, always working alone on an instrument they don’t own. As something of a black sheep in the organ community - and as the sometimes problematic B in the LGBTQ - I see this from a few directions. On a more positive note, it’s been incredibly valuable to have a queer sense of camp, including not only the practical (John Waters et al) and theoretical (Susan Sontag), but also the personal, in my own work. The organ is both fantastic and ridiculous; it is camp itself, its music is often campy (viz., all of continued on page 27
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WSU’s Spectrum: LGBTQ & Allies at Wichita Pridefest 2014. Spectrum continued from page 12
will help bring people of all backgrounds together in support of LGBT people and issues. “We want to be inviting to everyone and ... the change [in] our name reflects our true purpose,” Jack said. The group’s new purpose statement backs this up, stating that “by providing a safe space for discussion, activism, and education, we seek to promote equality for all members of the gender identity and sexuality spectrum.” “Spectrum includes all identities - inside and outside
of the alphabet soup. It’s a group for all identities,” Pearson said. And Spectrum isn’t just a group for Wichita State students, either. Meetings are open to members of the general public and of all ages. Meetings are the main focus of the group and provide a safe space for networking, making friends, and finding support, but Spectrum goes beyond the meetings by taking part in various LGBT-inclusive events in the greater Wichita area. In the past, Spectrum has hosted informational booths both on
NOVEMBER 2014
and off-campus, WSU Transgender Awareness Week participated in Wichita Nov. 17 Documentary Transgeneration Pridefest, and RSC Room 142, 10am-2pm encourages its Nov. 18 “Beyond the Binary” by Elle Boatman members to RSC Room 142, 12:30-1:45 actively engage Nov. 19 Transgender training in LGBT issues. RSC Room 262, 3-5pm Dr. Pearson Nov. 20 Transgender Day of Remembrance said that part of CAC Theater, 11am-2pm this year’s focus Nov. 20 The Face of Trans* photo shoot is on increasing RSC 233, 2-4pm membership. “This year is actually 40 years of having an to LGBT students on campus. LGBT student group on-campus So we were hoping to take that at WSU. It wasn’t until 1975 and run with it, celebrating that that they pushed for recognition, anniversary and ... having the got recognized status, and had name change.” a big dance which was kind Meetings are held every of the start,” she said. “Things Thursday at 7pm when classes all around campus are coming are in-session in RSC Room 265. together – Safe Zone training, For more info, visit wichita.edu/ transgender training increasing spectrum or e-mail spectrum@ in numbers, and more attention wichita.edu. l Start your holiday shopping
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Carpenter continued from page 24
its 19th century repertoire) and to miss or avoid this as many do is to serve the instrument incompletely. LP: Your new album If You Could Read My Mind was released in August of this year, and includes imaginative covers of some classic songs. How did you go about choosing your covers and how do you truly make them your own? CC: Someone has to actually do something about the problems facing the organ and organists, which I submit are an actual danger to the future of one of man’s most fascinating and refined arts. These problems don’t mainly come from the media, or from popular culture, or from any of the sources fearfully pointed to by musical pearl-clutchers, who are often elitists in disguise; they come
more from the organ community, which wants to keep the organ for itself, and finds ways of making it purposefully unintelligible. This has to change. It’s not that such changes come from playing Gordon Lightfoot - of course If You Could Read My Mind is already a kind of classic, if not classical, music. But taking popular music into your own hands, reinterpreting it in your own language and on your own terms, with conviction that your enjoyment of it is the only needed justification - this is actually a very old practice in classical performance though it is rare today. In this sense I don’t see the mixing of genres radical at all. Giving an audience what you yourself enjoy is one of the most honest ways to treat them, and that is as true for so-called ‘classical’ music as for any other kind. l
C
ast your vote for a tempestuous and rollicking November as four planets - Sun, Mercury, Venus and Saturn - all march through passionate Scorpio and eventually square expansive Jupiter. Things could get totally out of control . . . which is exactly the point! Go for it.
ARIES (MAR. 21 - APRIL 20) November is sure to be an exciting and passionate time for you, gay Ram. Which is why you need to get off the couch and into the action. Not only do you get to the deep core of some vexing personal issues (and finally solve them), you also manage to charm some very important people who add to your power base. Go for the gold. Anything less is penny ante. TAURUS (APRIL 21 - MAY 21) If you are seeking a special someone, this is the time to make your big move. You possess keen insight into what others secretly desire and are able to deliver the goods. For those queer Bulls currently involved in a relationship, don’t let anything simmer too long. Turn up the heat and start cooking. And don’t forget to add some spice to your stew.
LEO (JULY 24 - AUG. 23) SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 23 - DEC. 22) Family and close friends gravitate to You seem to possess an extra dose of your door this November and why ESP, gay Archer. So if you find yourself not? You have the most comfortable entertaining strange thoughts and lair in town, Proud Lion. So plan a few premonitions, you might want to take a at home get-togethers. Mix and match (calculated) leap of faith and see where the your guests to get the most interesting and engaging path leads. Who knows? But use this gift for charitable soirees. You will have them talking about them for purposes, not only for personal gain. Build up your good months. Ah, just as long as they give you creative karma points so you can cash them in later. Ka-ching! directing credit! CAPRICORN (DEC. 23 - JAN. 20) VIRGO (AUG. 24 - SEPT. 23) If you find yourself in the center of a You are especially charming and friendly pulsating crowd, enjoy the beat charismatic this November and that is and dance to their tunes. But at some because you see things in universal terms. point, you may tire of the routine and This is the time to turn up your volume yearn to break off from the usual crowd and get on the stump. Who knows, you may become and develop a group of new pals. If so, start to explore the next big electable candidate, queer Virgo. But don’t different social clubs, take up a new hobby or even a compromise for just any campaign donation. Wait until new course of study. You never know who you will the big bucks start rolling in . . . meet, pink Cap.
GEMINI (MAY 22 - JUNE 21) Pink Twins seem to have great reserves of energy this November. Start to tap into your innate enthusiasm and “get up and go.” So what are you waiting for? Get up and get going, whether at work, at the gym or in any project that requires dedication and detailed concentration. If you can accomplish it now, you will be able to take the rest of the winter off!
LIBRA (SEPT. 24 - OCT. 23) Proud Libras love to shop and now you can spend with abandon on whatever you think will make you happy. But here is a secret - the best things in life are free. Really. So instead of “stuff” try spending on experiences, on enhancing relationships and creating new ones. Save your cash for a rainy day when you really need it. Do I hear thunder?
CANCER (JUNE 22 - JULY 23) Several weeks of festivities await you from Election Day through Thanksgiving, that is if you have the stamina. For those gay Crabs who are quiet types, mix the parties with an artistic flair. Tap into your muse and see what masterpieces you create. Sometimes it is a painting and sometimes it is a culinary delight. Where will your inspiration take you?
SCORPIO (OCT. 24 - NOV. 22) PISCES (FEB. 20 - MAR. 20) Don’t even try to blend into the Scratch those itchy fins, Guppie and explore background this November, queer Scorp. the world beyond your own personal fish You are pushed out into the limelight bowl. The secret word is expansion - whether and become the focus of everyone’s it is your physical self or your mind. Try new attention. So check yourself out in the things, meet new folks and see new sights. It mirror and make any necessary fashion will not only be a refreshing change from the humdrum, adjustments. Then wow the crowds and have them bend you might even find an exciting romance that will hum to your will. Do I see a benevolent dictator or a petty your drum. tyrant? Let’s guess.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 21 - FEB. 19) Aqueerians may not want to rule the corporate roost, but sometimes power is thrust upon us. This will be one of those times when you are compelled to take charge. Opportunities will present themselves in unusual ways. So make your own rules, challenge the status quo. Embrace the opportunity and create the world in your own image. How stylish will that be?
(c) 2014 THE STARRY EYE, LLC., All Rights Reserved. For Entertainment Purposes Only. Lichtenstein’s blog www.thestarryeye.typepad.com covers everything new age. Her astrology book HerScopes is the best in sun sign astrology. Order now at tinyurl.com/herscopes.
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL. Wichita Pride, info@wichitapride. org, www.wichitapride.org, annual celebration held in September.
Social Freethinking Parents Group, Are you raising kids without religion? You're not alone. Freethinking Parents meet 2-4pm, third Sundays at Botanica, Wichita. Info: www.facebook.com/ groups/586131888148529/
Community Centers The Center, 800 N. Market, Wichita Kansas State University LGBT Resource Center, 207 A/B Holton Hall, Manhattan, (785) 532-5352, lgbt@kstate.edu, www.k-state-edu/lgbt
Health Douglas County AIDS Project, 346 Maine, Suite 160, Lawrence, (785) 8430040, www.douglascountyaidsproject. org
Heart of America Men’s Chorus, Wichita, (316) 708-4837, www.hoamc. org Junction City Teddy Bears, c/o Kevin Stilley, 2 Oak Valley Dr., Manhattan, (785) 556-8188, trlrhouseman@webtv. net NetworQ, Lawrence, KansasNetworQ@ yahoo.com, www.KansasNetworQ.org, meets at Maceli’s, 1031 New Hampshire Wichita Bears, presidentwichitabears@ yahoo.com, www.wichitabears.org Wichita Organization of Leather Fetishes, (316) 201-6242, www. woolfks.com
HIV/AIDS Client Emergency Fund administrered by the Junction City Teddy Bears, c/o Kevin Stilley, 2 Oak Valley Dr., Manhattan, (785) 556-8188, trlrhouseman@webtv.net, for people in the Manhattan/Junction City area
Wichita Prime Timers, ICTPrimeTimers@aol.com, www. primetimersww.com/Wichita, social group for mature gay men.
Hunter Health Clinic, 2318 E. Central, Wichita, (316) 262-3611, FREE HIV confidential or anonymous testing with Spanish and Vietnamese interpreters.
A Journey In The Light Ministries, 2231 S. Bluff (St. Christopher ’s Episcopal Chapel), Wichita, Sunday Praise and Worship services at 11am.
KU Internal Medicine-Midtown, KU School of Medicine, 1001 N. Minneapolis, Wichita, (316) 293-1840, (877) 472-8227 toll-free, (316) 293-2652 HIV Program LGBT Health Coalition of Sedgwick County, Wichita, (316) 285-0007, www. sedgwickcountylgbt.org Positive Connections, 1001 SW Garfield Ave, third floor, Topeka, (785) 232-3100, www.pcneks.org Positive Directions, 414 S. Commerce, Wichita, (316) 263-2214, (316) 2635214, www.pdiks.com Sedgwick County Health Dept., 2716 W. Central, Wichita, (316) 660-7300, www.sedgwickcounty.org South Wind Women's Center, 5107 E. Kellogg, Wichita, (316) 260-6934, www.southwindwomenscenter.org, LGBTQIA-friendly health services. The Sweet Emergency Fund, KUSM-W MPA, 1010 N. Kansas, Wichita, (316) 293-3405
Politics/Activism E q u a l i t y K a n s a s , w w w. kansasequalitycoalition.org, chapters across the state. Kansas Statewide Transgender Education Project, (785) 215-7436, stephanie.mott@k-step.org, www.kstep.org, provides transgender education and resources. Peace and Social Justice Center of South Central Kansas, 1407 N. Topeka, Wichita, (316) 263-5886, director@ wichitapeace.org, www.wichitapeace. org
Spiritual
College Hill United Methodist Church, 2930 E. 1st, Wichita, (316) 683-4643, www.collegehillumc.org, Sunday Celebrations at 8:30, 9:40 and 11:00am. First Congregational United Church of Christ, 700 Poyntz Ave., Manhattan, (785) 537-7006, www.uccmanhattan. org, Sunday services at 10:45am; Taize services Thursday at 7pm, An Open and Affirming Congregation. First Metropolitan Community Church of Kansas, 156 S. Kansas, Wichita, (316) 267-1852, www.mccwichita.com, www.godlovesyouperiod.com, Sunday services at 10:15am. First Unitarian Universalist Church of Wichita, 7202 E. 21st St., (316) 6843481, officemanager@firstuu.net, www. firstuu.net. Lutheran Campus Ministry, 1421 W. 19th, Lawrence, lutheran@ku.edu Metropolitan Community Church of Topeka, 4425 SW 19th, (785) 2721442, office@mcctopeka.org, www. MCCTopeka.org, services Sundays at 10am. Pine Valley Christian Church, 5620 E. 21st St., Wichita, (316) 685-2421, churchoffice@pvcconline.org, www. pvcconline.org Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Manhattan, 481 Zeandale Road, (785) 537-2349, www.uufm.net, services Sundays at 10:45am. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Topeka, 4775 SW 21st St., (785) 2729233, www.uuft.org, services Sundays at 10:30am.
Student groups Derby High School GSA, kljacobs@ usd260.com, tkellenbarger@usd260. com F re e S t a t e H i g h S c h o o l G S A , Lawrence, sponsors: Hilary Morton hmorton@usd497.org, and Kim Grinnell kgrinnell@usd497.org Highland Park High School's Parity, Topeka, LGBTatHP@outlook.com, facebook.com/LGBTatHP. The Independent School GSA, Wichita, sponsor: Matt Hanne matt. hanne@theindependentschool.com K-State LGBT & Allies, meets every Thursday at 5:30 in Leadership Studies room 123 KU Queers & Allies, University of Kansas, Lawrence, (785) 864-3091, qanda@ku.edu, www.ku.edu/~qanda Lawrence High School GSA, sponsors: Shannon Draper SDraper@usd497.org, and Lindsay Buck LBuck@usd497.org Manhattan High School GSA, mhs_ gsa@hotmail.com Pitt State GSA, Pittsburg State University, pittstategaystraightalliance@ gmail.com Spectrum: LGBTQ & Allies, Wichita State University, Twitter.com/ Wsuspectrum, meets Thursdays at 7pm in the Lucas Room (RSC 265) when classes are in session. Wichita East High School GSA, Tdavis2@usd259.net Wichita Heights High School GSA, nmagoon@usd259.net Wichita North High School GSA, (316) 204-5621, kellykk00@yahoo.com, rhorning@usd259.net, cwidmer@ usd259.net, meets every Wednesday at lunch in room A213. Wichita Northeast High School GSA, Jbell2@usd259.net Wichita Northwest High School GSA, amcdonald@usd259.net, meets every Monday after school. Wichita Southeast High School GSA, (316) 807-2271, psychsteve2@yahoo. com Wichita West High School GSA, astucky@usd259.net Vigil continued from page 18
gather a bunch of recording equipment when Andrew came into some cash from the World Series of Poker Main Event. We had tried recoding elsewhere beforehand, but nothing ever sounded exactly how we imagined. We, by luck, acquired half an office building in Ottawa, KS, which we decided to call Vigilante Studio. We spent nearly the entire four months from May to August trying to record all 11 tracks. Which, in early July, we decided was too ambitious, so we split it up. There was definitely a lot of
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Support Central Plains Area Agency on Aging, 2622 W. Central Suite 500, Wichita, (316) 660-5120, www.cpaaa.org, CPAAA is available to assist seniors, caregivers, and adults with disabilities through life’s transitions and with various levels of support. COMCARE Crisis Intervention Services, 934 N. Water, Wichita, (316) 660-7500 free 24/7, www. sedgwickcounty.org Flint Hills PFLAG, Manhattan, (785) 340-2815, meets on the 1st Saturday, 10am-noon, call for location. Get Connected, Wichita, (316) 4913778, LGBTQIA youth group for ages 12-21. Meets at The Center, 800 N. Market, every Friday from 7-9pm. GLSEN Greater Wichita, wichita@ chapters.glsen.org. Headquarters Counseling Center, Lawrence, (785) 841-2345 free 24/7, www.hqcc.lawrence.ks.us HIV+ Men’s Support Group, Wichita, (316) 293-3405, mmadecky@kumc.edu O n e D a y A t A Ti m e , Wi c h it a , Alcoholics Anonymous meetings held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8pm at First MCC, 156 S. Kansas. PFLAG Hutchinson, PO Box 2488, Hutchinson, (620) 899-2345, pflaghutch@gmail.com PFLAG Lawrence/Topeka, (785) 235-3831, sffeist@msn.com, www. pflagnekansas.org, meets 1st Sundays, 2-4pm at MCC of Topeka, 4425 SW 19th. PFLAG Wichita, info@ictpflag.org, www.facebook.com/WichitaPFLAG, meets 2nd Thursdays, 6:30-8pm at College Hill United Methodist, 2930 E. 1st. The Face of Trans*, www.thefaceof trans.com Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center, 355 N. Waco, Suite 100, (316) 2630185 office, (316) 263-3002 crisis line 24/7, advocate@wichitasac.com, www. wichitasac.com, free, confidential sexual assault services to all genders and sexual orientations. Medical & legal advocacy, support groups, adult & child crisis counseling, educational programs. l
blood, sweat and tears but we got it done. We financed the record, the master, the artwork by our friend Kassidee Quaranta - and printing ourselves with a little help from the Flaherty’s. As overwhelming as it all was it’s a good feeling to hold the final product in our hands and say that we created something out of nothing. LP: Vigil and Thieves already has a packed fall, with dozens of tour dates. How have you been preparing for your first tour? What are you guys looking forward to the most? Any challenges or things
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you’re not looking forward to about touring? SS: Well we all have specific skills and jobs that helped us pull this tour together. I wrote the songs and handled the production of the album. Steph has a knack for PR and booking which has been crucial for getting everything organized and getting venues interested. And Andrew plays drums - kidding - he organized all things with the vehicle and is our driving captain and heavy lifter. We did a lot of research as far as necessities on the road and at this point - we are writing to you from the middle of Illinois - the most challenging thing has been showering regularly. Our friend Randy and two of my brothers built a raised twin bunk in the back of our 12-passenger van; Steph and I sleep up top and Andrew has the bottom. We managed to acquire a donated bright purple trailer which tows our equipment and all of our clothes. As of right now I suppose we’re all homeless. We are very happy to be traveling and meeting new people, including fellow musicians. This entire fall/winter is a most excellent adventure. We
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are excited most about opening for The Misfits in November, and being in Southern California, where Steph and I have family, around Christmas time. Oh, and the ocean, god, how I miss the ocean. LP: What can people expect from Vigil and Thieves in 2015?
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SS: In 2015 we are More information: hoping to release the second half of our album, or www.facebook.com/vigilandthieves maybe even do a www.reverbnation.com/vigilandthieves full-length. It’s hard to predict what will twitter.com/VigilAndThieves come of this tour, we are hoping to gain some momentum and go for round two as soon as spring hits. l
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Leather Life By Nolin Christensen aka Master C
Mentors vs. internet: the good, the bad and the ugly
I
n the early days of the Leather community, we didn’t have books or magazines or internet to learn. We mentored with someone who taught us the leather way. It was a great way to learn and have fun at the same time. Now today, there is the internet. Be it good, or bad or just ugly; it’s a fact that we have to live with. The Good: Having the
internet has been a great boon to the Leather community. It introduces the masses to our lifestyle and way of life. It is another tool that can be used to learn and educate ourselves. It’s a great way to learn our history and see where we came from. It links the various leather tribes across the world and brings everyone into one big community. We can share, we can talk, we can learn. Like just about everything in our lives, it’s something that we seem to think we cannot live without. It’s a great place to look for books and reference material that is not accessible in small towns or in conservative U.S.A. It’s a way to connect with likeminded people. The Bad: It’s where everyone can post just about anything they want. And it’s hard to separate what is right, what is wrong and what IS the Leather community. Many people have posted incorrect or unreliable information and just because it’s on the net, many people take it to be true. And without a basic
understanding of the history of the Leather community or the type of play we do, it’s hard to decipher what is valid and what is not. One must realize that everything on the internet is not necessarily true. One must investigate everything they read and see on the internet and make sure that it is valid info before using it or applying it in their lives. This not only applies to Leather, but to just about everything else in life. The Ugly: When bad information is posted on the internet, it remains for everyone to see. I have seen more than one person who was “net sacrificed” because of something they posted on the internet that was valid information only to have uneducated and unknowledgeable people chew them up and spit them out. We live in a time where many people think that they are right and everyone else is wrong. They carry this to the internet and post crap when they don’t know a damn thing about what they are talking about. And The Really Ugly: Too many people are reading on the internet about the Leather lifestyle and the type of play we do and just because they read it, they now think they are experts about it. This is what gets people in trouble and injured. These unknowledgeable people are creating play spaces and dungeon groups and again, it’s other inexperienced people who are suffering the brunt of this inexperience. If your group has less than five years of experience, you need to get someone involved who has experience. If the group
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you are getting involved with is new, find out how many people have been in this lifestyle for any length of time. And then ASK around about that group and the people who are involved. We have BDSM groups out there where they don’t have a care in the world about your well-being; they are only in it for their corrupt enjoyment. If you ask me, I’ll tell you who not to play with if you want to keep yourself and your play partner safe. It seems that today, everyone is NOW, NOW, NOW for leather and or BDSM play. They are unwilling to wait and learn proper techniques. We teach a delayed enjoyment and play so that everyone can have time to learn. This is so that when it does happen, everyone can have a great time without getting injured or hurt. When you play with the various type of extreme play that we in the Leather community are known for, it’s vitally important that you learn with others who have knowledge about the type of play you are interested in. NEVER try a type of play that you have only read about. NEVER try a type of play that you have only had one class on. Learn and work with those of us in the community who have years of experience so that you can play safely, sanely and excitingly. If you want to learn more or how to play safely or to experience any type of leather or BDSM play, or you want to be mentored, please come attend a WOOLF meeting. We meet every third Saturday at 6pm at The Center of Wichita. l
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NOVEMBER 2014